The Best TVs and More for a Gaming Room

So, you've finally landed in the next-generation of gaming with a PlayStation 4 or an Xbox One--or both, if you're lucky. But that's when you look around and realize you're playing these gorgeous video games in a room more suitably described as "hobo dungeon." Time to build a proper game room, and with a little help, you could even save a few bucks. Here's some advice on what you're going to need to build your nerd lair.

Grab a Panasonic ST60 Before They're Gone

Yes, it's plasma. But the 60-inch Panasonic TC-P60ST60 is also one of the best HDTVs for console gaming. You'll find extremely deep blacks, a 600Hz refresh rate, 3D compatibility, and impressively low lag time. And when you're not gaming, the Panasonic ST60 has all the smart TV functions you've come to expect, like Netflix and Hulu Plus, available via the unit's built-in WiFi adapter. Now would be a very good time to grab an ST60, because Panasonic is unfortunately getting out of the plasma business.

Expensive surround headsets are great, but sometimes you just want to feel the walls shake when you're blowing up buildings in Battlefield 4. Vizio makes a great--and affordable--42-inch sound bar, the S4251w-B4. Inside the box, you'll find a 5.1 setup including a wireless subwoofer and two satellite speakers. With both DTS Digital and Dolby Digital encoding, this Vizio unit should work no matter which console you're sporting.

Price: $329.99

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Don't Turn Your Back on PC Gaming

The new generation of consoles are more than competent, and nowadays, pretty much every triple-A title under the sun is finding its way on the Xbox One or PlayStation 4. But there's still plenty of reasons to place a nice gaming rig in your game room, including the occasional PC-exclusive and indie games. The Steam Machines are still a ways off, but Alienware's X51 is a powerful gaming PC packed into a console-sized tower. The 3.9 GHz Intel Core i7 processor, 8GB DDR3, and 1TB hard drive should keep you hooked on your Steam library well into the future.

If you're going to make a true game room, be sure to fill it with totally awesome stuff. Who wants a boring old lamp when you can hang a Mario Bros. question block from the ceiling? 8-Bit Lit's lamps are sure to be the coolest light fixture in your home, and they turn on and off by punching them. Seriously, why don't you own this already?

And if you're really going for the full Mushroom Kingdom look, ThinkGeek sells wall decals featuring Mario, Luigi, and all the cloud-shaped bushes you could shake a stick at. The decals are customizable, too, so you can basically build your favorite Mario Bros. stage right on the wall.

You could probably go with an old billiards table or something, but this a high-end gamer's room: you'll need a cabinet to make it feel right. And while there's plenty of expensive '80s arcade machines on Craigslist, you might think about investing in an all-in-one machine. The X-Arcade packs in a ton of preloaded classics, but you can just as easily throw some of your own ROMs on the internal PC and have literally thousands of arcade games in one cab. Plus, the X-Arcade is even compatible with some consoles.

Decent furniture can go a long way to making your game room feel comfortable. After all, chances are you're going to do more than just game, like watching Netflix or maybe relaxing with a good book--you know, those things with pages. While it's entirely possible to go with a standalone game chair, a high-end game room needs seating for multiple people. Coaster's three-seat sofa includes drink holders for everyone and reclining backs with leg support. Plus, you can adjust the headrest to fit your noggin.